Watch a drone fly over the Marcal Paper fire aftermath

See a bird's eye view of the aftermath of the multi-alarm fire at Marcal Paper Mill in Elmwood Park, New Jersey.

The morning after an eight-alarm blaze incinerated the Marcal Paper Mills, all that was left was the still-smoking, charred and blackened footprint of the Elmwood Park paper factory.

On Thursday morning, with temperatures dropping to 2 degrees, some of the buildings in the area were glazed in ice, as smoke still emanated from the Marcal ruins. Firefighters were still dousing some of the site's hotspots, said Fire Chief Michael Foligno. There were still flames at certain areas of the building, he said.

It was nearly midnight before Foligno reported that the massive fire was "pretty much under control, burning at ground level." It was probably the worst fire Elmwood Park has ever seen, he said.

"There's very extensive damage – it's hard to get a snapshot now because of the darkness and smoke but a few buildings are completely gone, rubble."

The fire at 35 Market St. began around 5 p.m. in the 45,000-square-foot warehouse building, which acts as a distribution center for Marcal paper products. Soon, it appeared as an out-of-control ball of fire engulfing the entire site, spewing embers toward nearby homes, businesses and the municipal building.

The scene of a four-alarm fire that took place at the Marcal Paper Plant or Soundview Paper Plant in Elmwood Park, NJ around 5:30 p.m. on January 30, 2019. Christopher Sadowski/Special to NorthJersey.com

Firefighters work on part of what was the Marcal Paper factory on Thursday, Jan. 31, 2019, in Elmwood Park. The factory suffered a devastating fire on Wednesday night. Danielle Parhizkaran and Tariq Zehawi/NorthJersey.com

Firefighters work on part of what was the Marcal Paper factory on Thursday, Jan. 31, 2019, in Elmwood Park. The factory suffered a devastating fire on Wednesday night. Danielle Parhizkaran and Tariq Zehawi/NorthJersey.com

Firefighters work on part of what was the Marcal Paper factory on Thursday, Jan. 31, 2019, in Elmwood Park. The factory suffered a devastating fire on Wednesday night. Danielle Parhizkaran and Tariq Zehawi/NorthJersey.com

Firefighters work on part of what was the Marcal Paper factory on Thursday, Jan. 31, 2019, in Elmwood Park. The factory suffered a devastating fire on Wednesday night. Danielle Parhizkaran and Tariq Zehawi/NorthJersey.com

Firefighters work on part of what was the Marcal Paper factory on Thursday, Jan. 31, 2019, in Elmwood Park. The factory suffered a devastating fire on Wednesday night. Danielle Parhizkaran and Tariq Zehawi/NorthJersey.com

Firefighters work on part of what was the Marcal Paper factory on Thursday, Jan. 31, 2019, in Elmwood Park. The factory suffered a devastating fire on Wednesday night. Danielle Parhizkaran and Tariq Zehawi/NorthJersey.com

Firefighters work on part of what was the Marcal Paper factory on Thursday, Jan. 31, 2019, in Elmwood Park. The factory suffered a devastating fire on Wednesday night. Danielle Parhizkaran and Tariq Zehawi/NorthJersey.com

Firefighters work on part of what was the Marcal Paper factory on Thursday, Jan. 31, 2019, in Elmwood Park. The factory suffered a devastating fire on Wednesday night. Danielle Parhizkaran and Tariq Zehawi/NorthJersey.com

Water freezes as smoke rises from the burned down Marcal Paper factory with temperatures in the single digits on Thursday, Jan. 31, 2019, in Elmwood Park. Danielle Parhizkaran and Tariq Zehawi/NorthJersey.com